Read More

Seen as the biggest change in ‘pet vending’ in the last 66 years, the proposals being developed by the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) include:

Ensuring that licensed dog breeders show puppies alongside their mother before a sale is made;

Tightening regulations so that puppy sales are completed in the presence of the new owner. This would prevent online sales where prospective buyers have not seen the animal;

Insisting licensed dog breeders can only sell puppies they have bred themselves;

Regulating adverts on and offline by ensuring licensed sellers of all pets include the seller’s licence number, country of origin and country of residence of the pet.

While it means licensed breeders will have better protection under law, anyone selling a puppy – including via the internet – needs to have a licence and display that number.

Video Loading

Video Unavailable

Click to playTap to play

The video will start in 8Cancel

Play now

Before being able to complete a purchase, buyers must also see the puppy with the mother at the place it was bred.

Michael Ward, the RSPCA’s interim chief executive, said: “This is good news for the hundreds of thousands of dogs bought and sold in England every year.

“This year, our inspectors, working with the police and councils, rescued hundreds of puppies and breeding dogs being kept in miserable, squalid conditions by heartless people cashing in on the growing market for puppies.

Puppies from illegal breeders can have health problems

“We hope these proposed licensing conditions for England, which include a ban on breeders selling puppies other than from their licensed premises, will improve the welfare of puppies and their parents and also crack down on the multi-million pound illegal trade, making it less likely that people are duped by rogue dealers.

Read More

“We also welcome moves to stop the illegal smuggling of puppies which is a vile trade resulting in the suffering and death of countless dogs.”

Lisa Hens, the RSPCA’s dog welfare expert, says many dogs continue with ill-health when they have been bred for how they look.

She added: “We believe that all those who breed dogs – whether pedigree, pure-bred or cross-breed – should prioritise health, welfare and temperament over appearance when choosing which animals to breed, in order to protect the welfare of both the parents and offspring, and welcome proposals to address this. We would welcome further information on these proposals and how they would be enforced.”

Video Loading

Video Unavailable

Click to playTap to play

The video will start in 8Cancel

Play now

Vets say puppies sold by careless breeders could be carrying infectious diseases and, if removed from the litter too soon, can be left with psychological issues.

Katy Orton, veterinary campaigns manager and registered veterinary nurse with the PDSA, said: “Where puppies are bred and raised has an enormous impact on their future health and happiness. Dogs raised in an environment where profit is prioritised over health and welfare are more likely to be carrying infectious diseases, and the parents are less likely to have been screened for genetic diseases.

"In addition, when dogs aren’t exposed to everyday noises and different people during their critical socialisation period (three to eight weeks) they can become fearful, anti-social and even aggressive in later life.

“The PDSA encourages pet owners to do as much research as possible before buying a dog and to use the puppy information pack and puppy contract, which ensure they have a happy and healthy puppy.”

Many troubled puppies have found their way to the City Dogs' Home, in Bucknall, where manager Vicky Phillips has welcomed the Government crackdown.

She said: “We used to have dogs brought to us that the RSPCA had taken from these puppy farms and then, for years, it seemed to die down.

Video Loading

Video Unavailable

Click to playTap to play

The video will start in 8Cancel

Play now

“The problem we see is the internet and people using it to sell these dogs. Some people will buy them based on a photograph and not even meet the animal until they collect them.

“We have had people who’ve bought a puppy from the internet come here after six months or sometimes a couple of days and say it’s bitten them and we have to take the animal.”